A recent patent application suggests that Ford could give one of its future SUVs a split tailgate.
Ford filed a patent application for a split tailgate design in 2021, but that application was just published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 12, 2024. Ford’s design appears similar to the split rear doors that have appeared on other SUVs. such as the Land Rover Range Rover, certain versions of the Toyota Land Cruiser, BMW X5 and, more recently, the Rivian R1S.
Ford split tailgate patent image
Instead of opening as a single piece like a conventional tailgate, the split tailgate opens in two parts like a clamshell. The upper section opens upward like the tailgate of a conventional SUV, while the lower section opens downward, generally forming a flat surface like the tailgate of a pickup truck.
This lower section offers a practical place to organize roadside picnics, but the split tailgate is generally more expensive and more complex thanks to additional parts. That’s why it’s usually limited to luxury SUVs like the Range Rover.
Ford split tailgate patent image
Not all patented ideas make it to production, but Ford’s decision to patent a split tailgate indicates it is at least considering one for a future vehicle. The patent application depicts an SUV, but in it Ford notes that a split tailgate could be applied to other types of vehicles, including minivans and hatchbacks.
It would be interesting to see a split tailgate on the next generation Ford Exploreror maybe the next one from the automaker Three-row electric SUVBut it’s now too early to say whether a split tailgate will appear on any Ford vehicles in the future.